


Backpacks, Finals, and Vanilla Lattes

by haleynovak



Series: Prompts [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - High School
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 19:33:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1995201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haleynovak/pseuds/haleynovak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Sabriel fic where Gabe works in a coffee shop and Sam is a high school student who is tired of school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Backpacks, Finals, and Vanilla Lattes

**Author's Note:**

> On tumblr:
> 
> http://trenchcoatdestiel.tumblr.com/post/85320946277/sabriel-fic-where-gabe-works-in-a-coffeeshop-and-sam-is

Sam dragged his feet, a heavy backpack weighing him down. He trudged his way to the coffee shop down the street. He hadn’t ever been, and only knew it existed because he and Dean drove by it every day. That is, on the days that Dean  _could_  drive Sam home. On days like today, he would walk home. However, it was finals week next week and he had to study, and his backpack weighed more than Sam.

_At least I can just wait here,_ Sam thought as he opened the front door to Gabe’s Coffee and Sweets, a tiny bell tinkling above him. He dropped his backpack at a nearby table and walked over to the counter. A barista with dark, messy hair and bright blue eyes (his nametag stated his name was Castiel) made him a vanilla latte, and he went to sit down and study.  _Well,_ he thought,  _at least there’s coffee_.

*****

The very next day, Sam found himself walking into Gabe’s once again. He dropped his bag at the same spot he had yesterday, and smiled when he saw Castiel behind the counter. “Hello. Sam, right? Same as yesterday?” Sam smiled. As Castiel made his latte, Sam went to sit back down in his seat. Pulling out a textbook, he looked back up to where Castiel was standing. But this time, he wasn’t alone.

Sam’s eyes latched on to the golden ones staring back at him from across the room. The man had stopped talking to Castiel, instead taking the finished latte and bringing it to where Sam was sitting.

"Sam, right?" Sam nodded. "I’m Gabriel. You can call me Gabe."

Sam accepted his latte from the outstretched hand, then paused. “Wait… Gabe? Like, Gabe’s Coffee and Sweets Gabe?”

Gabe laughed. “Yeah, that one. I own this place,” he said fondly. “It’s my pride and joy.”

Sam smiled. “How long have you owned it?” Gabe didn’t look too much older than Sam’s older brother Dean, who was 21.

Gabe bit his lip in concentration. “Since I dropped out of college in the middle of my sophomore year. Which was… a year and a half ago?”

Sam nodded. “Cool. My older brother always wanted to open a fast food restaurant. He’s a mechanic, but he barely has any time between his job and college.”

Gabe sighed. “I know how that is. You studying for finals?”

Sam groaned. “Yeah. Being a senior in high school was supposed to be fun. But no senioritis for me.”

"Why not?"

"I’m going to Stanford next year, and they monitor my grades. If I don’t do well on my finals, they can still kick me out."

Gabe looked hesitant for a moment, then pulled out the chair opposite Sam and sat down. “What are you studying?”

Sam smiled inwardly. “Law. I’ve wanted to be a lawyer forever.” He hesitated for a moment, then continued. “My mom was murdered when a stranger set our house on fire when I was a baby. After her death, my dad became a cop, and I’ve always wanted to help in some way. By getting the bad guys locked up, I feel like I can prevent other people from stuff like that.”

Gabe was silent for a moment. Sam had just spilled his biggest secret to an absolute stranger. But when he saw the sadness in Gabe’s eyes, he forgot about it. “It sucks, Sammich, I know. My dad walked out when I was five, so I know what it’s like to have one parent.”

Sam smiled a bit. “Thanks. It’s nice to not here  _I’m sorry_ for the millionth time.”

Gabe smiled back, and Sam felt his heart speed up a bit. Gabe turned his head back to Castiel, who was waving for him to come over. “I’ve got to go.” Gabe looked back at Sam, smirking. “But, if you want to go out sometime, here’s my number.” He scrawled on the side of Sam’s cup, then promptly stood up and walked away.

Sam walked home feeling lighter, and even his backpack couldn’t weigh him down.


End file.
